Device for removing and inserting taps and plugs in water-mains.



W. HEARNS. DEVICE FOR REMOVING AND INSERTING TAPS AND PLUGS IN WATER MAINS.

APPLIOATIOH rum) JUNE 2-1, 1911.

1,040,538. Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

3 SHEETS-"SHEET I.

[lump 5 W. HEARNS.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING AND INSBRTING TAPS AND PLUGS IN WATER MAINS.

APPLICATION FILED 111111121, 1911.

1,010,538,, Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

8 BHBET8SHBET 2.

W. HEARNS.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING AND INSERTING TAPS AND PLUGS IN WATER MAINS.

APPLICATION FILED 313N324, i911.

Patented Oct. 8, 1912 UNlTED STATES T @AFFICE.

WILLIAM HEARNS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING AND INSERTING TAPS AND PLUGS IN WATERJVIAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 24, 1911.

. atcnted oer. ta, .1912.

Serial No. 635.220.

To all 'tU/LO'Y'I'L it may concern lie it known that I. Vnmnm: Ill-IARNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Devices for Removing and lnserting Taps and Plugs in Watenhlains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to in'iprovenients in devices for removing tap-pipes or plugs from water mains and for inserting tappipes or plugs in water mains without the necessity of stopping the flow of water through the pipes.

The details and operation of my invention will be clear from the "following description, taken in connection with the at. eonn'iauying drawing, in which,

li"igure fl is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2. is a top plan View of the same; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-43 of Fig. 2, looking-in the direction of the arrow; l igs. 4', 5 and (5 are top, side and bottom views, respectively, oi. the socket-tor holding threaded metal plugs; Fig. 7 is a side view of a. threaded metal plug; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section t'hrtnigh the casing on the line 8--8 of .l ig. 3; Figs. 9, t) and t)" are top, side and bottom plan views, respectively, of the socket or lit ting for removing the t-ap-pirms; Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are top, side and bottom plan views, respectively, of the fitting for holding the emergency plugs; l ig. 13 is a detail view showin in vertical section, the holder for threaded plugs; Fig. '14- is a similar view showing the holder for emergency plugs.

Referring to the drawing, A indi'atcs a saddle comprising a metal frame having four sides, and open at the top and bottom. the lower edges being curved to conform substantially to the (an-vature ot the pipe I; to which the saddle is applied. When in position upon the pipe a gasket 1. is arranged between the lower edges of the saddle and the pipe to prevent leakage, a 'asket 2 is placed upon the upper edges ot the saddle, and the casing (l, to which my improvements are applied, rests upon the gaslcet 2. The casing (l is rectangular in form,

and is provided with a top plate 3, its lower end being open sc that when the casing and saddle are in position they form, with the pipe, a closed chaulb around that portion of the. pipe where the pipe-tap or plug is to be removed or inserted. The saddle is made separate from the casing in order that dil :t'ereut saddles may be used with the casing for pipes at dill'erent sizes, the curvature oli the lower edges ol' the saddles vauving with the. diameters in" the pipe. \r'h'n th apparatus is appl ed to a pipe the parts are held in position by chains 5 which pass beneath the pipe and are provided at their ends with tln'eiuled bolts (3 which extend through bars 7 laid upon the top ot the casing, nuts 8 upon the bolts being provided for tightening the chains.

In the center of the top it of the easing is arranged a tubular guide t) for a tool 10, which tool, in the present invention, serves the several purposes ot a drill, a tapping or threat'ling device and wrench. o' as a rod for driving an emergency plug into an opening in the pipe. The tool is pointed, as shown at lit. tor drilling purpos s. and is provided with lat rally projecting threaded wings It?" for tapping threads in he opening in the pipe. As shown in the drawing there are tour of these wings and these are adapted to engage recesses in t'ittings, hcreinal ter more particularly reterred to, the tool forming a soelgct. wrench for turning th se fittings. 'l ...-.";'"uide has its upper portion threaded as shown at 3 and upon the upper end of the guideis arranged a washer It which closely encircles the shank ol the tool and is held in place by a cap 12. "The lower portion t)" ol the guide is larger in diameter than the upper portion, as hown. and within said enlarged portion is titled a bushing 12; which also guides the shanl: ol' the tool. The washer or bushing it and the lurshing 13 are removable and may be replaced by bushings having larger or smaller openings to suit tools having shanlts ol dill'erent diameters. The tool may be turned and aiso moved longitudinally within the guide i and in order to turn the tool and lccd it to the work a ratchet wheel ll. pawl 15. and lever 16 are removably connected to the upper end of the tool shank and a. teed screw held in a yoke 18, is adapted to bear upon the end of the tool shank. The two arms of this yoke fit under a nut 19 threaded upon the part 9 of the guide 9. By loosening the feed screw the yoke may be readily detached, when desired, and the ratchet wheel and lever 'may be lifted ofl' of the tool shank. A small hand wheel 20 is also removahly connected to the shank so that it it is desired to use the tool'without the feed screw at any time pressure may be applied to the tool by the hand, bearing against the wheel 20.

A hearing or stuffing box 21 is provided in the top of the casing and a round rod 22 extends through thisbearing, the lower end 22 of the rod being turned at a right angle to the main portion or shank and having at its extremity an internally threaded ring or holder 22* adapted to receive the threaded end 23 ot' a fitting QS (Figs. ;l-, 5 and 6) which fitting is adapted to receive a threaded plug 30, as hereinafter explained. A lever 2 1, is secured to the upper end of the rod 22, and this lever has a downwardly extending arm 2 L adapted, in two positions of the lever, to engage one sit e of the casing, which forms a stop for the lever. When the lever is swung so that the arm engages the casing at the point a, the holder 22 is centered under the tool 10 and when the lever is swung into engagement with the casing at the point a the holder occupies the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. A stutling box 25 is also provided upon the top of the casing and a rod extends through this bearing or stuiling box. This rod has an arm 26 at its lower end, turned at right angles to the main portion of the rod, and is provided at its extremity with a holder 26" in the form of a ring which is similar to the holder 22 except that its interior surface is notthreaded. This ring is adapt-ed to receive a fitting 27 (Figs. 10, 11 and ii), for holding an emergency plug 29, here-- inafter referred to. A lever 38 is secured to the upper end oi the rod 26 and an arm projecting downwardly :t'ron'i the lever is adapted to engage a side of the casing,

which limits the swinging movement of the lever. hen the arm 28 in engagement with the side of the casing at the point .9 as shown in Fig. 2, the holder 26 is out of line with the tool 10, but when the lever 28 is swung so that its arm engages the casing at the point e the holder 26" is centered beneath the tool 10.

The fitting 23 has a cross-shaped socket 31, in its upper end, adapted to receive the lower end of the tool, and the lower end of said fitting hasan angular socket 32 adapted to receive the angular end 30 of a threaded plug 30. As the plugs to be inserted in the pipes are of various sizes, the socket may be provided with a bushing the pipe the plug according to the size of the end of the plug. A. set screw 3% is provided for securing the plug to the fitting. In preparing to use the device a fitting 23 is screwed into the holder 29) and a plug 30 is secured within the lower socket in the tiltin It will be seen that if this holder is swung into the central position under the tool. and over a threaded opening in the pipe, and the tool is then lowered so that its'wings 10 enter the socket 31, a rotation of the tool in the right direction will screw the plug into the pipe and screw the fitting out of the holder 22', so that the latter may be lifted away from the fitting and upon the removal of the apparatus from and fitting will remain. The fitting-may then be detached from tile plug, leaving the latter in its intended p0."- tion in the pipe.

The fitting 27 (Figs. 10, 11 and 12) is in tended to receive wooden plugs E29,'one of which is shown in Fig. 3. One of these plugs may be used as temporary closure for the opening in the pipe where his found impossible to insert a threaded plug at the time. This fitting has a cross-shaped opening 35 in its upper portion, forming a socket to receive the tool 10 and inclined shoulders 27 for the wings of the tool to restupon, and it has a circular socket 36 in its lower portion adapted to receive a wooden plug 29 the upper end of which fits against shoulders 9/2"". The wooden plug is held trictionally within the socket 36, and the fitting 27 has a smooth exterior and is held frictionally within the holder :26, a

splintof wood or a strip of paper being used, if necessary, as a temporary wedge to hold the fitting in place. demands, the holder 26 is swung into line with, the tool and with the opening in the pipe, and the tool is then lowered into the socket and tapped with a hammer until the plug is driven securely into the opening in the pipe and the fitting 27 is driven from the holder 26'. When the apparatus is re moved from the pipe the fitting and plug remain and the fitting may then be taken ofi'. The fitting, as shown, is hollow, the sockets conuniu'iicating with one another. The point of the tool, therefore, does not strike the fitting, the wings only engaging the shoulders 27 A fitting 87 (Figs. 9, 9 and 9 is also provided for the purpose of engaging pipe taps which are to be removed from the main pipes. This fitting comprises forked arms 37 suitably formed to engage the valve portion of a pipe-tap and in the upper end of the fitting is provided a cross-shaped socket 38 adapted to receive the end of the tool 10.

In operation, it a pipe-tap D is to be removed from a pipe and a plug substituted, the fitting 37 is first placed upon the pipel t the occasionv tap and fittings 23 and 27 are arranged in their respective holders 22" and 26*, a threaded plug 30 being held within the lit ting 23 and a woodenplug 2:) being held within the fitting 27. The saddle and easing are then secured to the pipe and the holders for the lit;- tings are swung away from the center of the box, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The tool 10 is then lowered until its wings engage the socket in the fitting 37 and the feed Wheel and ratchet are connected to the tool, or the latter may be operated by the ratchet and lever without applying the feed Wheel. By turning the tool in the right direction the pipetap is unscrewed from the pipe and the water pressure forces the pipetap and tool upward, or the latter may be moved upward until the fitting 37 strikes the top of the casing, when it will be stripped from the tool and will fall at one side of the opening in the pipe. The tool 10 may then be lowered and turned so as to l'e-thread the opening in the pipe, after which, unless the pipe is so corroded that it cannot be re-threaded without being rehored, the lever Q l is turned so as to swing fitting 23 over the opening and the rod .22 is then lowered to position the plug :30 over the opening. The tool 10 is then moved downward into the socket 31. inthe fitting 23 and by tin-hing the tool the plug is threaded into the opening in the pipe amt the fitting 23 is simultanctuisly unscrcwed from the holder 22". A lter the plug is inserted the casing is removed and the set screw 34- loosened and the tilting 23 thus removed from the plug. It, however, it is found that after the removal ol the pipc= tap. the opening is so badly corrtalcd that, it cannot he re-threaded hy the tool then in use so as to receive the threaded plug, the emergency plug 2%) is swung into line with the tool and the latter is lo\\'crcd into the socket 35, in the titting 27, and hy tapping upon the end of the tool the plug is driven into the opening in the pipe and thc lilting is driven out ol the holder 20'. The casing may then he removed, the [low ol' watt-r hoing stopped. tool suited for horing and threading a larger opening in the pipc may then be inserted in thc apparatus and a threaded plug suited For this larger opcning may he inserted in the lilting 21 al'tcr which the casing Inay hc replaced and by operating the tool the \voodcn plug may he cut out ol the opening, the latter enlarged and threaded: and the thrcadcd plug may then he moved over and inserted into thc opening.

hat I claim is:-

l. The comhination with a casing opcn at its lower side, and a lapping tool cm tending through the top oi the casing. said tool heing longitudimilly movable, of a holder within the casing and means ex= tern-at to the casing for moving said holder into and out of line with the tool, said holder having a smooth hore or opening t-herethrough, a fitting for said opening adapted to be driven endwise out at the opening hy the longitudinal movement of the tool, said lilting having a socket to receive the tool and having shonlders within the socket for engaging the ends of the ,wings ot the tool hut not the central part or point'o'l the tool, and said fitting having also asorket l'or receiving a plug and shoulders within said latter socket for engaging the end of the plug.

'lhe ctnnhination with a casing, open at its lower side, and a tapping tool. extending through the top of the casing, said tool being longitmlinally lno 'ahle, of a holder within the casing and means external to the casing for moving said holder into amt out of line with the tool, said holder having a smooth hore or opening therethrougln a titling tor said opening adapted to he driven cndwise out of the opening hy the longitudinal reciprocatitni ol' the tool, said tilting having a socket to receive the tool and a socket to receive a plug, the first mentioned sockct having inclined portions I'orming shoulders adapted to he engaged hy the cutting cnd ol' the tool, andthe other socket having shoulders [or engaging the plug.

:l. The combination with a casing, open at its lowcr side, and a lapping tool extending through the top of the casing, said tool heing longitinlinally movahlc and rotatahle, oi two holders within the casing and means external to the casing l'or moving said holders into and out ot line with the tool, one of said holders having a smooth hore or opening therethrough, a titling for said opening adaplcd to he drivcn cndwisc out of the opcning' hy the longitudinal reciprocation ot the tool, said litling having a socket to receive the tool and a sockct to receive a plug. thc lil'sl lncntioncd sockct having inl'l' llt l shouldcrs adaptcd to hc cngagcd hy the cud ol' the tool, and the other socket having shouldcl's lor engaging the plug, the othcr of said holders having a threaded opcning therethrough and a. lilting for said latlcr holder having an cxtcrior thread for engaging the thread in the opening and having a .sockct for receiving the tool and an angular sockcl'. for receiving a plug".

l. The I'Ullllllllltililll with a casing open at its lowcr sidc. ol' :1 tool cxtcnding through the top ol thc casing, said tool heing longitudinally inovahle and rotatahle, a plurality ot longitudinally movahle and rotatahlc rods extending through the top of the casiug, said rods lurving laterally projecting IOU arms Within the casing and holdiers connectengagga side of the casing, the latter formed to said arms, each holder having a vertlcai openmg @herethrough, and means con nected with each rod, outside of the easing, for swinging the holder thereon to bring its opening into axial alinemenhwith the tool, said means comprising a level." and an arm attached to the lever and adapbec i to ing astop for the arm. m

In testimony whereof I affix my signa ture, inpresence of two witnesses.

. 7. WILLIAM HEARNS, Witnesses:

ROBERT WATSON, Y G120. (1H. PENN, 

